What MercadoLibre's Mixed Q4 Earnings Report Tells Investors

Core Insights - MercadoLibre's Q4 2025 earnings report showed a significant revenue beat but a notable earnings miss, leading to a decline in stock price after hours [1] Financial Performance - Revenue reached $8.76 billion, exceeding estimates by approximately 10% and growing 44.6% year-over-year [1] - Diluted EPS was $11.03, missing the estimate of $12.09 by about 8.8% [1] - Operating margin compressed by an estimated 5-6 percentage points due to strategic investments [1] - Net income decreased by 13% year-over-year to $559 million, influenced by tax rate normalization [1] Business Metrics - Total payment volume increased to $83.7 billion, up 42.1% year-over-year [1] - Gross merchandise volume reached $19.9 billion, reflecting a 36.8% increase [1] - The credit portfolio surged 90% to $12.5 billion, with fintech monthly active users growing 28% to 78 million [1] - Advertising revenue expanded by 67% on an FX-neutral basis [1] Market Sentiment - The stock closed at $1,922.56 on February 24, down 10% over the prior month [1] - Consensus analyst target is $2,803, with 23 buy or strong-buy ratings and only three holds, indicating a positive outlook despite margin compression [1] - The new CEO's ability to provide clearer profitability timelines as the China-to-LatAm cross-border trade corridor scales in 2026 is a key focus for investors [1]